We Always Hurt The Ones We Love The Most
by a.jaded
Summary: Dean Ambrose thought Marilyn was done with him when she left him . He realized too late that he really did love her and that he really had hurt her, repeatedly, and in the worst of ways. When divorce papers come a few years later, just after he's in the WWE and making his dreams come true, will he fight for her? What will happen when a secret comes out and another guy takes interes
1. Chapter 1

_FLASHBACK_

_The ring on her finger felt like a noose around her neck. She never should've been stupid enough to think that she'd ever change Jonathan, that when they left Ohio their lives would somehow magically get better. She should've known better, really. He wasn't a good guy, he wasn't a nice guy but damn it, she'd loved him. She'd wanted to take care of him, she'd wanted to be the girl to show him that love didn't have to be all about pain and suffering._

_She sat in the car outside the arena and looked at that ring and she looked at it long and hard as the words she'd heard him telling that prettier girl burned in her ears and became etched permanently in her brain. _

_'Marilyn's just this girl.. C'mon, babe, I want you.' he'd said to the other girl while she stood away, hidden out of sight, hearing every word of their conversation._

_She'd been intending to surprise him tonight, show up here, go back to his hotel room with him and have a romantic weekend. After all, she did have big news.. She'd just found out she was pregnant, that she was 2 months along. She'd hoped that coming up and telling him face to face would give him a chance to warm up to the news. He'd never acted as if he wanted kids or anything, and given what they knew about each others childhoods respectively, well.._

_She was kind of worried that if she didn't break this to him just the right way, she'd lose him. And she'd tried living without him once before already whenher parents kept them apart for almost a year._

_They'd found their way back together, of course._

_And now, here she sat, in her car, in the parking lot of some small time arena where CZW was doing a show, everything she'd hoped she'd changed in him obviously still the same. His words cut her like a knife and she couldn't stop the tears as they blinded her._

"_And naturally, my fucking parents were right. He never loved me anyway." Marilyn said aloud to herself as she put the car in drive and drove away just before he and a friend of theirs, Sami, walked out the back exit of the arena and to their rental car._

_She'd never know that he'd seen her after the words were out of his mouth, that the second he said them, as usual, he instantly regretted them and didn't mean them. That he'd tried this same tactic several times while he was on the road and she was back at their house, waiting._

_And every single time, he'd never been able to go through with it. As much as he hated it, as crazy as it drove him and as much as he didn't want it to happen, he was finally in love with someone._

_But we always hurt the ones we love most, don't we?_

_He came back for his downtime to find the home they'd made empty of her things. She didn't say goodbye, she didn't even leave a note. And he decided then and there that he was done with everyone he loved leaving. Even though this whole misunderstanding was his fault, entirely, the young man had been hurt, betrayed and left so much that he figured to hell with it._

_At least that's what he did until the divorce papers came a few years later.. And that's where this story really starts._


	2. Chapter 2

"What are those, man?" Roman asked his friend as he eyed the envelope that Dean held in his hands and was about to put into a mail slot. Dean stopped a moment and the look in his eyes was one that Roman hadn't ever really seen the guy give before. Then Dean said through gritted teeth, "None of ya damn business." as he shoved the envelope down into the mail slot and picked up his suitcase. Roman watched him with a raised brow. He saw Dean get the same envelope quite a few times over the past year that they'd really gotten to know each other due to being in a gimmick together, and each time Dean got it, Dean was a total bitch to live with for almost a month after.

Then he'd mail the envelope back to wherever it came and he'd go right back to being the guy Roman knew and was sometimes annoyed by but very much considered a friend. He'd go back to being the guy who was always the first one in a bar and the last one out. He'd go back to running through the ladies in every town they went to like water and he'd go back to being a cocky bastard who loved a good fight.

But Roman was starting to see that there were two distinctly different sides to his friend and rostermate, and that maybe the one he saw AFTER Ambrose mailed off the envelope was mostly just for show.. That maybe the quieter and more private side, the side of the guy that could go days without human interaction was the actual Dean Ambrose.

That something about that envelope hurt him and made him want to lash out, act like a badass. But, like tonight when he'd asked again for the eighth time in their friendship, Dean told him basically that it wasn't his business, to back the fuck off.

"You okay, man?" the taller Samoan asked as they walked out of the apartment complex, heading for the gym. They were back in Florida for downtime, to his surprise, Dean had actually gotten an apartment in the building Roman lived in.

"It's nothin, man." Dean said through gritted teeth as he thought to himself, _'Just old wounds opening a wife that nobody knows I got wantin to leave me too like everybody else in my pathetic miserable existance. Not a damn thing wrong with me, oh no.' _but forced a cocky smirk and said "Just feel like it's a good day to kick some ass."

"Everyday's a good day for you to fight, man." Roman mused as he thought to himself, _'You are my friend you fucking idiot.. If you won't talk to me about whatever is bothering you, I can't help you.. And I kinda want to help. Plus I'm curious.. What about that envelope makes you get so edgy?' _as they walked out of the apartment building, got into the car and started to drive to the gym.

Dean fumbled around and fished out a pack of cigarettes. "Come on man, no smoking in my girls car.. Remember? My kid doesn't like smoke." Roman said firmly as Dean scowled a moment, thought about the envelope he'd just mailed off, wondered what Marilyn was doing, if she'd moved on, if she was sending the damn things now because she was getting ready to remarry or something and just wanted to cut all ties of the past.

"I had a girl once." Dean said as he stared out the passenger window, fuming to himself about the divorce papers he'd sent back to her unsigned just moments ago for probably the twentieth time in almost a month or so. Roman's gaze shifted to Dean and he raised a brow as he asked, "Yeah?"

"We were married and shit. Then I came home from bein on the road and she was gone.. No note, no good bye, no fuck you, nothin.. Just gone man.. Kinda like the smoke from this cigarette." Dean mused in a flat voice almost as if he weren't talking to Roman, but himself. Roman coughed and then asked with a raised brow, "You.. Were married.. And you didn't think to maybe mention this when we started working together in a gimmick? I mean I've had you over for barbecues, my kid calls you Unca Jon and you don't tell me probably the most basic thing?"

"She's fuckin gone, man. Don't be such a girl about it. I made her do it. Just like I push 'em all away. Just something about me." Dean mused as he flicked the cigarette out of the car window and then said quietly, "Those papers were divorce papers. Sent 'em back unsigned too. She's mine, god damn it. Not just gonna give her up that easy. We fuckin fought tooth and nail man.."

"Yet you won't go to her and try and work things out."

"If she wanted me, man, she'd fuckin be here." Dean said as he shrugged and then dropped the subject. But Roman could tell it was eating at the guy, and truth be told, it just made no sense to him why in the hell Dean wouldn't go to this girl if he still cared enough to send the divorce papers back unsigned over and over again.

Then again, a lot of things Dean did made absolutely no sense to him and he'd learned in the course of the past year not to ask too many questions of the guy, it made him clam up and it pissed him off.

But this new fact about his close friend did make him really, really curious.. It also explained why Dean put on this big show of flirting with random girls, even taking them out and stuff.. But he almost never let one come back to his room or anything afterward. And none of them lasted longer than a few days, tops. Nobody had gotten the wild man to settle..

So how in the hell had this girl?

He got the feeling that large chunks of the story were missing. But for now, he let it lie. Dean told him this much. Maybe if he got ready to talk again, he'd tell him more and Roman could help his friend out somehow. Because frankly, he didn't understand the logic in Dean's not going to her and trying to work things out yet when he got the papers, he sent them back unsigned every single time.

It wasn't like Dean, not at all. Or it wasn't like the Dean he knew, at least.

* * *

The divorce papers, as usual, were back in the mailbox by that Thursday afternoon, and true to form, he hadn't signed the damn things again. "Not a call, nothing.. But I send him divorce papers so he can do what he obviously wants to do and put the past behind him so I can put it behind me and whaddya know.. Won't sign the damn things.. He'll send 'em back." Marilyn Santiago-Good grumbled as she sat the envelope down in the driver seat of her car, walking around to the passenger side, raising the seat so that she could get her sleeping son out.

At six, Jonny Jr. already looked so much like his daddy that sometimes looking at him both hurt and filled Marilyn's heart full of joy. She wished like hell that Jonathan was still in their lives. She cried herself to sleep every night because he wasn't and she loved him so much and it just hurt so damn much. But she took that love and poured it into their son... He was a living breathing piece of Jon, a reminder that love was real. It was a reminder she needed after a long and hard and often painful life when she was younger.

Sometimes though, she had to admit this to herself and she did on a daily basis, every single time she caught herself staring at the Google search bar and it was late, Jonny Jr was fast asleep in his race car / pirate / wwe themed bedroom down the hall and she'd had a glass or two of red wine.. Sometimes she'd want to reach out to Jonathan so damn bad she could taste it.. But she knew that if he wanted her, he'd have come to her long ago.

"Mommy.. Tomorrow we wear costumes to school.. Can I pick mine out?" her son asked as he woke up, startling her out of her thoughts, out of the slight frustration she felt at Jon's not signing the damn papers and letting her go since he obviously didn't love her enough to even attempt finding her, coming to her..

"Sure, baby boy.. What do you wanna be, huh?" she asked as the little boy thought it over a few minutes and with a grin announced, "Wanna be a wrestler.."

Her stomach churned. To say her little guy was his father's son in so many different ways wasn't even tipping the ice berg.. Temper, facial features, hair, eyes.. Jonathan had definitely left his mark on their boy.

Maybe he'd grow out of this latest phase soon? She shuddered to think of her son in that ring when he was older, risking his physical health like his father used to and probably still did. She hadn't seen Jon in years so she wasn't sure if he'd stopped wrestling, if he'd ever settled down.. She hoped more than anything that he was happy, that he wasn't hurting, that he'd finally found a woman to love who could do what she obviously couldn't anymore.

_'If you love someone, set them free.' _she thought bitterly as she carried her son into the house, letting him down so he could go to the living room. She heard the theme for the WWE Monday Night Raw program come on and as she started to get things out to prepare their supper, she felt a tug on the leg of her yoga pants. When she looked down, Jonny stood there, pointing at the tv.

Naturally, her eyes followed her son's gaze and she gaped at (and gasped) in shock when she saw Dean Ambrose.. Or as she knew the man, Jonathan Good. Her son's father.. The stubborn ass of a man who kept sending back the god damn divorce papers she kept giving him to finally allow him the freedom she thought he surely wanted by now.. He'd actually made it to the big time.

Watching him fight in the ring again sent a thrill of pride all over her body and her arms prickled excitedly.

"I wanna be that guy, Mommy.. Can I please?" Jonny asked as Marilyn mulled it over a few moments. She knelt down to her son's level and smiled softly as she said "Let's go see if Mommy can't whip you up a costume like that then."

Her son clapped his hands together with glee and they went upstairs to work on putting together a costume that looked like his father's ring gear. As they worked, Marilyn wondered if Jon were here right now... What would be different in their lives?

If he wouldn't come to her, if he wouldn't reach out.. He couldn't still want her..

Why then, did he keep sending the papers back unsigned? He had to want to be free again, right?

She finished her son's costume and he asked, "Well?"

"You look just like him, little guy. Almost exactly like him." Marilyn said as she hugged her son and fought back tears for a moment. She hated that Jon was missing all these moments.. But when she'd seen what she had that night so many years ago, it'd broken her heart.. When he went so long without bothering to find or call her or something, it broke her heart even more.

When she'd finally given up hope and gotten a lawyer to draw up the papers, she'd felt worse than she did the night she left him after walking in on what she had at that arena.. But she was just doing what she thought he wanted...

Why wasn't he just letting go?


	3. Chapter 3

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted two chapters and it's already gotten four reviews. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

* * *

He grumbled loudly as he checked the mail in the lobby of the apartment complex he was living in in Florida and saw the damn envelope sitting in it. Did she not get the fucking picture? He wasn't gonna make this easy for her, not when she'd promised him everything, same as he had with her. They were going to have that one final fight and be done with it.. Or something.. It went without saying, she belonged to him, she always had. And he was not going to just give her a god damn divorce like she seemed to want so damn badly as of late.

"Fuckin seriously? Don't she get that when I send 'em back unsigned, I ain't gonna sign 'em, ever?" Dean mused aloud to himself as Roman asked from behind him, "She sent them back again, man?"

"Guess so." Dean muttered dryly as he looked at the envelope in the mail slot in disdain and disgust. He was dying right now, to just go find her, to tell her that the only way she was getting a damn divorce after all the promises she made to him back then was over his dead body, and that he still loved her, that even though she'd fucking left him he still couldn't get her out of his mind and heart like he wanted, but he knew that if he went now, he'd probably strangle the wannabe ex Mrs. Jonathan Good.

Or at the very least get thrown in the slam overnight for causing a domestic disturbance.

Roman used his friend's distraction to look at the envelope and then remarked aloud, "You do realize she lives in Florida.. Right?" as he looked at his friend who shrugged, grumbled a few strong swears under his breath and said calmly, "I fuckin know, okay? I just.. I ain't gonna go to her."

"And obviously, she's not gonna come to you." Roman mused as he looked at Dean who shrugged and said something under his breath, something to the effect of how Roman just didn't get it or something. Roman muttered mostly to himself, "Obviously not, man.. Ever stop to think that maybe she's only sending these because she thinks you want things over? Maybe she thinks you want the past behind you.. I mean she left what.. Six or seven years ago? And you didn't once try and look for her after that one time you told me you went back to Ohio and you found out she'd moved did you?" as he looked at his friend who shrugged yet again.

Roman rolled his eyes. Dean rarely made sense when he did things but this was above and beyond the usual nonsense. As a non partial outside party, Roman could see that possibly both of them didn't want to end things, that Dean's estranged wife might just be doing this because she felt like maybe he wanted to be rid of her finally.. If she hadn't met someone.

Either way, they clearly needed to see each other again face to face to talk things out. Or he should at least attempt finding a phone number and calling her or something. If Roman were in his shoes, he'd have already taken care of the situation, of course, but then he wasn't Dean.. Dean was a highly illogical person at best most of the time, damn near unreasonable at the worst of times.

"Yeah? Well she ain't tried comin back to me, either. Just don't see any point in makin this easy on her. She fuckin left me, man.. But we'll see who gets the last god damn laugh because I can do this, " he said as he held up the envelope after snatching it out of Roman's hands, pointed to it, then continued, "I can do this for the rest of our lives, man.. And if I gotta? So be it."

"Ever stop and think she found a guy who loves her and she wants to start a new life?" Roman asked. The question, while an innocent one was enough to make Dean stop in his tracks, look at Roman with an angrier than hell glare in his normally calm icy blue eyes and say through gritted teeth, "Yeah? Well she's gonna do it over my dead body, man, because I am not signing those papers. Got it? Just like I am not gonna go to her first. She wants 'em signed? She's gonna come to me, god damn it. Bitch owes me that much, I'd think."

"All I'm hearing in this, Dean, is you.. How you feel, what you think and what you want.. If you really fucking love her, you'll wonder about how she feels and thinks, what she wants.. Just a thought." Roman said as he waved his hands in the air defensively and looked at Dean with a partially amused, partially irritated look in his eyes.

Even Roman's wife agreed with him.. If Dean wanted to resolve the issue, someone was going to have to give in and go to the other. But sending the damn papers back and forth was childish and a little aggrivating. Especially with the way Dean was handling it thus far.

"I fuckin love her.. And I can't.. Look man, I won't lose her.. Not like this." Dean said finally and in a firm enough tone that for the moment, Roman dropped the subject in it's entirety.. He did wonder to himself in amusement, however, what was going to happen when this mysterious estranged wife of Dean's got sick of his sending the damn papers back unsigned..


	4. Chapter 4

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted three chapters and it's already gotten four reviews. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

* * *

She growled as she pulled the envelope out of her mailbox yet again by that following Monday afternoon. Prying open the envelope, she glanced at the papers and rolled her eyes, swearing in frustration when she realized that yet again, he'd sent the damn divorce papers back unsigned. "If you don't want me enough to come to me, why keep sending the god damn things back unsigned, huh?" she mused aloud as her cell phone began to ring.

The phone number of her son's teacher was on the screen and she bit her lower lip as she picked it up and said "Hello, Mrs. West.. What's going on? Jonny's okay, right, he's not sick or anything?" and tried to calm her panic. Her son's teachers didn't call unless something were wrong or a student were sick.. And as she waited on the teacher to answer, she wondered to herself about the envelope she held in her hand, why he wasn't signing the papers when it was really quite obvious by now that she meant nothing to him at all.

If she did, he'd have at least tried to find her..

"It's your son, Mrs. Good.. He's gotten himself into a fight with another boy.. Something about his Halloween costume? Apparently he got angry because one of the other boys, Tommy, called him Batman.. And he proceeded to punch little Tommy in the face. This is the second time I've had to get onto him for his anger. I'd like you to come in so we can discuss this behavior problem and try to figure out what might be causing it, together?" Mrs. West said as she watched the two boys carefully, her eyes especially on Jonny because he had a bit of a temper problem and lately, it'd been popping up more and more frequently. She'd already had to take away his Fun Friday priveleges because of the other incident and the habit the boy had of swearing.

A parent conference with his mother was long overdue. Mrs. West didn't know Mrs. Good very well but she did know that the woman was a single mother, apparently she and the husband were split up and had been since before Jonny was born. That Mrs. Good taught yoga and dance down at the local fitness center, as well as working the morning shift at the local hospital where she was a medical transcriptionist.

If the mother worked two jobs, Mrs. West assumed that Mrs. Good had little time left over to be a proper mother to her son.

Marilyn rolled her eyes at the phone and thought to herself _'And already she's fucking passing judgement. I can practically hear the disdain through the phone line. If she even thinks I don't take care of my son I swear to Christ above I'll..' _while taking a few long and slow deep breaths to calm herself down. She'd learned long ago that being a single mother, working as much as she could to make sure her son, their little angel didn't have the hellacious life that she or Jonathan had had as children.. She'd learned that she'd have to acquire a thicker skin than most women.. Because she didn't have (or need, she knew that now, she didn't need a man to take care of her, though occasionally **it'd be nice** just to feel his strong arms around her, have her nose fill with the delicious and heady aroma of smoke from his cigarettes, the smell of his sweat and the smell of the cologne he wore just one more time..) a man to help her with things, this wasn't a two parent household like most in the small suburban neighborhood she lived in.

And more often than not, because she was a single mother who worked so much and rarely ever dated, people scrutinized every little move she made, from parenting to work to the men she did date when she did permit herself to at least try and move on with her life.. He obviously had.

He wasn't here with her, was he?

"I'll be in tomorrow, ma'am. And I'll be having a serious discussion with my son as soon as he gets off the bus this afternoon. 4 pm.. That sounds good, that works for you, right?" Marilyn asked as stiffly as she could while keying the appointment into the calendar section of her Iphone. The teacher agreed to the time she'd set to meet and then she turned the key in the lock on the door of her house.

She had a voicemail on her landline phone. As she shed her shoes, stripped out of her t shirt and aimed it at the door of the laundry room from where she stood in her kitchen, she raised a brow when the caller introduced himself as Joe, a friend of Jon's. She glared at the envelope again and raked her hands through her long and curly brownish blonde hair as she muttered to herself, "Can't sign the damn papers.. But he can get a friend to call me. Interesting.." while pouring herself a glass of green tea and flopping down onto her couch.

Her eyes landed on the photo album again and she sighed as the overwhelming sense of nostalgia overcame her and she picked it up, opening it... All she wanted to do was let him go because she thought that was what he wanted, surely he had to want that after all this time.. Why the hell then, was it killing her, even thinking about the divorce one day being final?

Why'd she secretly get a small thrill, a glimmer of hope when she saw the page unsigned?

Something had to give soon. For the sake of all three people involved in this.


	5. Chapter 5

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted four chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, eight reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

* * *

"Mommy, who's Joe?" Jonny asked as he looked up at his mother expectantly. She bit her lower lip and said quietly, "He's a friend of your daddy's, little man, why?" while cleaning off his face, getting him ready for bed, making sure he'd actually bathed and not pretended to while just sitting in the tub, playing with his hot wheels and action figures like he did from time to time. Their little boy looked at her and then asked quietly, "Where is my daddy?"

And that broke her heart. She sighed as she looked at Jonny and then said "Let's go get you into bed, huh? And then I'll show you something. And I'll tell you whatever you want to know about your daddy and why he's not here, where he is." as she let him walk into his room, get into his race car bed. Then she went downstairs and got out that photo album. She took a few deep breaths and muttered to herself, "I'm not going to do to our son what was done to his father. I'm not going to lie to him and I'm not going to make it look as if Jon didn't at least have some good parts to him, that we weren't happy at least a little while before I had to leave." before walking up the stairs and into her son's room, sitting down on his bed beside him.

Jonny leaned his head against his mother and looked up at her. He could tell that the question he seemed to ask her a lot lately, about why his daddy wasn't around hurt her every time he asked it, but she seemed sad all the time anyway and he really did want to know, as most kids often do when they're curious about something. "It okay.."

"No, Jonny, Mommy needs to get this out, okay?" Marilyn said as she opened the photo album and pointed out Jonathan to his son. "That's your daddy.." Jonny gaped at the photo album and then asked in shock, "He is?"

"Mhmm. And we loved each other very much.. We didn't always get along that great.. And we fought a lot. But we loved each other very much." Marilyn said as she ruffled their son's hair and then said quietly, "Just sometimes, love isn't enough. And we were both really, really young and we had really, really bad lives."

Jonny nodded. He sort of sensed that, his grandparents never came around his mom and most of the time, if they did call, she wound up crying herself to sleep that night. They were mean and he didn't like them.

" He just.. I didn't make him happy.. I tried, you have no idea how hard I tried, Jonny.. But your daddy wasn't happy.. And I found out some things that made me not so happy either.. And I had to leave." Marilyn finished in a quiet voice as Jonny looked up at her and asked, "But how do you know he wasn't happy, Mommy? Did ya ask?"

She bit her lower lip and thought to herself, _'When you're older, little guy.. I'll tell you the whole story.. I'm telling you the pg version for now.. I can't.. I just don't want to break your heart and tell you that he might not have wanted you, either of us, when he found out I was pregnant. He was already looking for any and all exits to get away from me, all the cheating and the fights, the way his anger scared me most of the time.' _but for a few moments, she mulled over her son's innocently posed question.. She hadn't actually ever asked him if he were happy.. She'd just seen what she'd seen and assumed that she wasn't good enough for him either.. Just like everyone else in her life, she wasn't good enough.

And that ate at her all the way down the stairs after she'd tucked their son into bed that night.. And that's probably why she picked up the phone and called Jon's friend Joe and left a voice message.. The least she could do was find out if he were okay, if he were happy, if he'd been injured or something and that's why Joe was calling her, right?

She had no idea what can of worms that one call was going to open up.. But soon enough, she would.

* * *

"You did what?" Dean snarled as Roman said again for the third time quietly, "I fucking called her.. Your estranged wife. Somebody's gotta end this bizarre game of divorce paper tag." as he looked at Dean, calm expression on his face as he added, "It's for your own good, man. This whole thing's throwing you off. It's affecting you."

"It is." Roman's wife said from behind Roman as Dean paced, beer in hand, swearing under his breath. He'd just sent the damn papers back a fourth time this week and he'd figured that she'd finally get the picture, she'd know he wasn't giving her the satisfaction of a fucking divorce, that she was stuck with him for as long as she'd promised him back then, god damn it.

"Why in the fuckin name of Christ would ya fuckin call her?" Dean raged quietly as Roman lead him out onto the patio area of the small apartment he and his wife and daughter lived in, sliding the door shut behind him as he said, "Just to satisfy my own curiousity. Because unlike everybody else, man? I actually am your friend. And I think that if you either confront this and fix it or put it behind you you're better off."

Dean shotgunned the beer and said quietly, "It wasn't ya business."

"It was, man."

"It fucking wasn't."

"You didn't even ask if she called back.. Why's that, man?" Roman asked as Dean shrugged and stared out at the sunset as he exhaled a drag from the cigarette he'd just lit and then said "Because, man.. I know she ain't. She's been fuckin gone for almost seven damn years. If she ain't tried in that long, why the fuck would she try now, huh?" as he turned slightly to look at his friend, hoisted himself up onto the ledging around the patio to sit, shotgunning his beer as he wiped his mouth and waited, his heart actually hammering a little harder.

Had she bothered calling back?

"This time you're wrong.. She did call back.. But it was while me and the wife were gone with Jojo to that fair. She left a message though." Roman said as Dean looked at him, blinked and then asked, "Well?"

"Do you want to hear it?"

Dean pondered about that for a few moments as he finished off his cigarette. He couldn't smoke in Roman's apartment, Roman's girl didn't like it around Jojo. When he finished, he crushed out the cigarette in an ashtray and then stood, shrugged and said "Why not.. I mean might as well, right?" before following Roman into the house, letting Roman hit play on the answering machine.

When he heard the kid laughing in the background, he froze a few moments and growled to himself. Then he heard her voice again, and after all this time, it was still the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.. It was also like a knife in the fucking chest because right now, Dean Ambrose was getting the exact wrong impression.

The divorce papers? The kid laughing in the background of the call? She had to have moved on and she finally wanted to be rid of him. That had to be what it was, there was no other alternative. He didn't have it in him to think optimistically. Roman grumbled and looked at Dean, shaking his head as he said "I know what you're thinking.. But what if maybe you're actually one hundred percent wrong this time, huh? Just because she's sending the papers.."

"Oh, she's fuckin moved on." Dean said as Roman's wife spoke up and said "Not butting in here but.. What if there's more to the story than you're assuming? Aren't you even a little curious? I mean she left. According to you, she wouldn't just do that with no reason. And I can think of two or three reasons that'll make a woman leave every time. I know you've got a temper, Good, but I also know you don't have it in you to lay a hand on a woman. Or at least not from what I've seen since I've known you personally."

"Yeah? Well ya don't really know me." Dean asserted as he thought things over. Even trying to rationalize things with himself wasn't working, he'd never been good at being rational.. That's what he'd loved most about Mari, she'd been a rational and calm person for the most part. Loving and the kinda girl who wanted to take care of the whole fucking planet.

He chuckled to himself as he thought about the second week they'd been married, how she'd taken in a stray dog. And made him deal with it.. And for the most part, even though he'd raised hell and acted like he hated the damn idea, he'd actually liked it. He explained what had made him laugh to Roman and his wife and Roman said with a shrug, "So why are you just sitting back, sending the papers back unsigned. Personally? I'd want to know what the hell went wrong."

"I know what went wrong though, man.. It's me. I'm a bad guy."

"Not entirely.. Most of you, yes. But you can be fairly decent when and if you want to." Roman argued as Dean glared at him and said "I still oughta kick your fuckin ass, Anoai.. Butting in like this."

"It's what friends do, man." Roman said with a shrug as Dean stared at the phone, glaring, thinking about the situation as it stood. He knew Roman was right. It didn't make admitting that any easier, it didn't make him like admitting that at all.. But he did know Roman was right. And he'd waited long enough without doing something.

What if there were more to the story than he was getting based on his own assumptions? What if, for once in his life, he had it all wrong?


	6. Chapter 6

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted five chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, eight reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality. I'm NOT saying any of the below in Dean's part is true, by the way, it's just me being a writer, using creative license. I made it a little funnier, I hope that you guys like it. I had to do something comical to break up all that angst.**

* * *

"I'm getting just a little sick of playing mail tag." Marilyn told a co-worker at the hospital as they sat in the lunchroom on their lunch break while sipping her bottled water. The co worker looked at her and then shaking her head said quietly, "Wow.. I just.. I had no fucking idea you were even married before. I mean, no judgement or anything.. And this guy? He's a pro wrestler?"

Marilyn nodded her head and said quietly, "His character name, I believe, is Dean Ambrose. Not that I've watched any more than I have to, of course, I always hated watching him in the ring, I was always worried he'd be calling from a hospital or something when he was out on the road.. Anyway, back to the matter at hand.. How the hell do I force the guy's hand and make him sign these damn things? I mean he's gotta want his freedom, am I right?" as she speared a tomato on the end of her plastic fork, plopped it into her mouth as she mulled this all over in her mind.

"Why do you want the guy to sign 'em so bad, Mari? I mean I can look at you and tell girl.. This is killing you.. Do you even know for sure that whatever happened back then to make you leave in the first place can't be fixed?" her co-worker asked with a concerned look as Marilyn sighed and shrugged then said "I'm just doing what I think he wants..If you love someone, set them free.. Right?"

"Not always, girl, not always.. It's kinda like this one thing I keep seeing on that show I watch all the time." her co-worker said as Marilyn laughed and shaking her head pointed out, "But this is reality, girl.. Not a soap opera. Fairytale endings do not happen in reality. All I want is for him to be happy.. And for me to finally be able to get closure and move on from all this.. Jonny's probably tired of seeing Mommy unhappy.. And the only way I'm gonna be happy again? Is I either pretend to be happy without Jon or I'm with Jon. End of story. It's complicated, okay? But we've been through a lot."

"I know, girl, I've heard the stories about what you grew up in, remember? Who had your back last year when your parents tried to sue for custody of your kid, huh? I was there when it all came out in the courtroom. Jon should've been there.."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't.. And it was my fault. I should've at least told him. Now fear is.. It's keeping me quiet." Marilyn admitted as she took a few big bites of her salad. The women's eyes caught on the television for a moment, a commerical was on advertising an upcoming show for the WWE in Florida. Her co worker turned to her and then nodded at the television set in the cafeteria as she said "You say you want closure, right?"

"Yeah.."

"And Jonny loves this shit, does he not? And does he not have a birthday coming up, girl?" her co - worker (and her son's godmother, her only actual friend) asked casually. Marilyn shook her head no violently, but the idea was already implanted in her co -worker Sandi's brain. She knew this couldn't be a good thing and deep down?

She just didn't know if she was ready to see Jon again, face to face.. She knew she wasn't strong enough to resist the pull, she knew she couldn't stay mad at him very long.. This, the almost seven years they'd been apart was probably the longest she'd ever managed to stay away from him.. And it was killing her slowly, a little more every single day that passed.

"Fuck it. Fine.. Get it over with and whatnot, right?" Marilyn muttered as her co worker Sandi nodded and said with a mischevious grin, "Because trust me girl, it's one hell of a lot harder for him not to sign those damn papers in person.. And maybe, just maybe, when you two stubborn asses finally talk things out, you won't want him to. Time has a way of changing people, Mari."

"Not Jon.. Jon's probably the most stubborn ass of a man you'd ever meet." Marilyn argued, only to have her co-worker shrug and then say "You never know until you try, do ya?"

* * *

"Give me that, man, god damn it!" Dean growled practically as he snatched at the envelope that Randy Orton currently held in his hands. By now, the whole male roster knew about his USPS tag with an estranged wife. "I'll fuckin deck ya."

Randy shook his head, laughed that cocky as all fuck laugh and then said simply, "Give 'em to me, Anoai." as he held out his hands to Roman who stuck two tickets to the upcoming house show in Florida into them. Dean glared at them both and Randy said simply, "Just something from one divorced guy to another.. If you both held on for seven god damn years almost, Good.. There's a reason.."

"The reason is that his ex is batty, maybe?" Ziggler asked as Randy glared at him then snapped, "Close, spaghetti head but no.. usually when a girl hangs on this damn long, Good, it's for a fuckin reason.. I mean Sam.. She held on for almost two years.. I got served at least 3 times with papers, man.. And like you, I sent them all back unsigned."

"Fucking so what?" Dean asked as Roman spoke up and said "What Randy is trying to say man, is no matter what's going down on-screen.. We're all kinda family back here.. And you're obviously hurting. And you're kinda becoming an even worse pain in the ass to deal with.. So this?" he gestured to the two adult and one child show tickets he handed to Randy, who then put them into the envelope with the divorce papers and took a pen, wrote something Dean couldn't see and Roman nor Randy or Super Cena would let him see, with Seth clapping his hands in amusement and glee as it was going on, "Is us getting some god damn peace in the locker room again. If you two have to see each other face to face, and if she doesn't use the second adult admission ticket, Good.. That oughta tell you everything you wanna know about the situation I'd think. Now you're gonna shut it and let this happen."

"Or I'm going to step away and let Joe spear your ass." Seth said as he smirked and shrugged, Dean glaring at him and growling practically, "And when I get my fuckin hands on you you little fuckin fairy.."

"You won't do shit, Good. Because for one thing, you can't catch a fuckin ninja." Seth said pointedly as he shifted the briefcase from one hand to the other and looked at his offscreen friend then at his other off screen friend. Randy spoke up firmly and said "This is just something I wish to hell I'd tried before I lost my girl, Good."

Dean paced, swearing. He picked up a garbage can and chunked it, garbage flew everywhere. The other males stepped back and let him trash the locker room.. They spent so much time together on the road that they all knew each other's private lives, their pain, their joys, everything. And they knew right now that Dean Ambrose was furious, he felt like a caged animal on display.

But they were doing this for his own good.

As soon as the envelope was taped closed again and the addresses switched to mail back properly, Randy passed the envelope to Seth who ran like hell out the door and down the hallway to the office area where the mail cart was waiting. And Dean took off after him, broomstick in hand. All he wanted to do right now, and to the other men involved in this it was very understandable, was beat the living hell out of something.. Most men handled their pain quietly.. They were learning that Ambrose however, was apparently not one of those men.

He got mean. He started shit and he liked violence when he felt hurt or angry. He'd snap and he wouldn't stop until whoever he got his damned hands on was either in a black bag heading to the morgue or at the very least, on their way to the ER.

He grumbled as Seth walked back over, whistling in satisfaction, smug smirk on his face. Dean lunged and took him down and the two men fought, ultimately it took Cena, Roman, Sheamus and Randy as well as Big Show, Kane and a visiting Undertaker to pull the bastards apart. And as soon as the COO had them in the office with the door shut, Dean said angrily, "That motherfuckin son of a bitch started it, Levesque. Buttin into my personal shit."

And then Paul explained to him what the others in the back already had so many times lately. And he sat there and mulled over what his 'friends' had done, quietly.. Could he really handle seeing Marilyn (and her potential other man, if she had one) after all this time? He'd never actually been strong enough to resist her if he really wanted to think about it, there had always been this magnetic (and scary and very frustrating) pull there between them.. And what about her kid.. Did he really want to see her, as a mom, and wonder what if?

What if he'd been less of a monster?

What if he'd given in and admitted that he wanted her to be the mother to his kids?

What if he hadn't spent so much time trying to screw things up back then?

Where would they be now? Would they be together? Or would they still have fallen apart?


	7. Chapter 7

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted six chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, twelve reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

* * *

Marilyn swore as she opened the mailbox in front of her little house and the divorce papers were sitting there, in her mailbox, yet again. She took out the envelope and tore it open. A piece of paper fluttered out and she bent, picking it up. Her eyes danced over the paper and she raked her hand through her hair as she read a note from another of Jon's coworkers. Apparently, they were all trying to get him to either sign the papers or confront her, because apparently, according to the note in her hand, Jon was becoming a pain in the ass to work with as of late because the whole thing was bugging him and he didn't deal with shit well.

"Like I didn't already know that, Randy, whoever the hell you are." Marilyn mused as she thought back to their many arguments in the short time they'd been married, and all the ones before that, the serious ones at least.. And she couldn't help but smile, even a little. They might have fought all the time but even when they fought there was passion in it. Anger, yes, but mostly passion. She watched her son playing in the yard with his bike and thought about what life might be like if Jon had been around.

Would they still be going through this now? Or would they have gradually come to a place in their relationship where they could overlook everything that made them fight like they used to and learned to work around things?

She sighed and took out the papers and was about to flip to the back and see if he'd signed them (she was betting he hadn't, yet again) when she saw the three tickets to the show being held here in Florida next week. And she puzzled over that for a few moments as she bit her lower lip and sat down on the white brick stairs of her front porch, watched their son playing.

"Whatcha got, Mommy?" Jonny asked as he ran past, stopping and doubling back before she could hide the damn tickets. She grumbled inwardly but smiled at their son and said "Happy birthday, Jonny." as he looked at the tickets in her hand, then at her, then started to jump up and down, hugging her and kissing her all over her face. His smile lit up his baby blue eyes (just like Jon's when he was actually happy about something) and she told herself _'Just get this over with, once and for all. Maybe Sandi's right.. It's time Jon knew exactly why I did what I did.. Maybe I need closure.. And Jonny.. He needs to at least know his father.. Even if Jon rejects our son..'_

Her stomach, however, still churned nervously at the thought of seeing Jon again after all this time. She knew she'd never be able to keep the guards up and resist him. Why had he sent three tickets?

And how had he known to send a child's ticket?

She bit her lower lip as she felt her head spinning and her heart racing. She hadn't even seen him yet and she was already getting herself worked up over it. She'd stress and stress and worry until it was over with, most likely. But the tickets and the note in the envelope got her thinking.. Maybe his friends reaching out in his benefit was his reaching out too..

She looked at her son and then ruffled his hair as she kissed the top of his head and then said "You're only going to get to go if you don't get in any fights or any kind of trouble the whole week at school. I mean it, Jonny. You cannot just punch another kid because he hurts your feelings, okay? And it was not alright to tie Susie McAlister's braids together."

"But.."

"No buts, Jonny. You have to be a good kid, okay?" Marilyn said as her son grumbled and then hugged her as he said quietly, "Love you, mommy. And I'm real sorry I did that. I didn't mean to.. I just got so stinkin mad." as she looked down at him and sighed.. True to form, just like his father, she couldn't stay mad at their son very long, either. And she'd already grounded him from watching tv, playing video games and having an hour earlier bedtime for the things he'd done.

Parts of her hoped he'd get into trouble this time, just so that if Jon actually did lash out and reject Jonny, he wouldn't be there to hear it, have it mess him up as Jon's own father's walking out had most likely messed up at least half of Jon's life.

But she kept that to herself.

"Let's go in and find food." Marilyn said as she stood and stretched, walked into the house with her son on her back, laughing. A wise person once told her that everything in life happened for a reason.. Maybe that reason was so that she and Jon could finally have it out.. And put this all behind them..

That thought hurt her more than anything, really, she didn't want him out of her life.. She still loved him, very much.. But if he hadn't reached out in all this time, could what they once had really be fixed?

* * *

The papers were back in his mail slot by the weekend and he grumbled as he realized that apparently, she still didn't get it. He walked up the stairs and banged on the door to Roman's apartment and said stiffly, "Thought you idiots said this shit was gonna work?" as he glared up at the slightly taller Samoan who promptly began to laugh and asked casually, "What do you mean, Good?"

"I mean, Anoai, shit ain't workin. She still sent the god damn things back." Dean said as he paced and then added, "Tickets are gone though."

"That's what you want, man.. Means she has them and she's considering showing up at the show. In the meantime, man.. Found something." Roman said as he held out a piece of paper torn off of the notepad next to his phone to Dean who took it and asked, "Who's number?"

"It's hers.. My girl got it off the caller id. You could always call her, Good, if you're this fucking impatient and ready to get it over with." Roman suggested which got him a burn in hell look from Dean who laughed and then said quietly, "Nope." as he went back to pacing a hole in the hardwood floor of the Anoai apartment and swearing to himself.

Roman shrugged and said " Don't see what it'd hurt." as Dean looked up and said stiffly, "You don't fuckin know what we went through, man, to be together.. And she swore to me she wasn't gonna do what everyone else did.. Then she left too.. Now she's got a kid? Probably got herself a whole other life? I'm not gonna just fuckin let her go without some kinda fight."

"This isn't.. " Roman started then fell silent, he remembered, of course, just who he was talking to and just how little sense the man's logic actually made most of the time. "You have the number." Roman stated finally as Dean nodded and shoved the paper into his pockets probably to be forgotten or lost during a drunken bender later that night.

After they talked a little more, mostly about the house show and the new angle they were going to try out, Dean left and walked back up the stairs to his apartment. He grabbed another beer from his fridge and flopped down on his couch. For a few moments, he took out the piece of paper with her phone number on it and stared at it before grumbling, throwing it onto a table in front of his couch with various other stuff already strewn on it before turning on the tv and finding a hockey game or something on to watch.

But the damn piece of paper sat there, taunting him the entire time.. And after he'd gotten a few more drinks in him he stumbled over to the phone and picked it up, then picked up the piece of paper, dialed the number. The phone rang and rang and finally her voicemail picked up. And he grumbled, swore a little drunkenly and hung up the phone.

"Ain't even signed the damn things, she's already out there fuckin living it up." he mused bitterly as he turned off the lights in his apartment and walked down the hallway to his bedroom, fell across the bed and fell asleep for the night.

Maybe she'd show up at the damn show next week.. And maybe then he'd be able to show her that she'd been stupid to leave him like that.. Or at the very least, maybe they'd finally have that one huge fight that finally ended them so it'd finally not feel like a knife to the chest everytime he got the damn divorce papers back in the mail.

Either way, there were thousands of ways their 'meeting' in a few days could go and as he slept he dreamt of all of them. He wanted things to end happily, end with him getting her back home, with him, where she fucking belonged.. But he knew better than to hope for that. So he hoped for the good things he visualized but prepared himself for the worst of the scenarios his mind dreamt up while sleeping.


	8. Chapter 8

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted six chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, twelve reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

* * *

"What do you mean you don't need tickets, girl? You're not backing out of this, damn it. You need closure.. So does your estranged husband, if I had to guess." Sandi asked Marilyn as Marilyn held out the tickets to the upcoming house show and then the note that came with the tickets and the once again unsigned divorce papers. Sandi took the tickets and said in shock, "Well I'll be damned.. How do you think he knew about Jonny?"

"My guess? He heard Jonny playing in the background of the message I left on his friend Joe's home phone when I called last week, intent on giving the guy a piece of my mind when he wouldn't just sign the damn things.." Marilyn said as she leaned back against the chair at her kitchen table, groaned aloud and then said "Parts of me, Sandi, are hoping he never signs.. Because I don't wanna be done with him. I want him here, damn it. But then I think about everything we dealt with, the way our lives were fucked up from the start and how he didn't wanna be a dad and how it would affect Jonny knowing that his daddy didn't want to be a father and..."

"You're scared." Sandi interjected as she lit up a cigarette, earning her a glare from Marilyn who said "Got enough second hand smoke when Jon and I were still man and wife under one damn roof." as she went to the kitchen window, opened it so that the smoke didn't circulate through the whole house. She'd kill for a cigarette right now, actually, but she'd quit when she found out she was pregnant with Jonny Jr.. She'd also quit drinking then too.. And sometimes her lack of an obvious vice drove her crazy to the point of total frustration.

Like now, with all this stress from Jonny's teachers, her two jobs, a few old bills she was trying to pay off but was badly behind in, the leak in the roof upstairs in the second bathroom and now, of course, Jon's just plain out stubborn refusal to sign the damn papers.. If he wasn't gonna come to her, if he didn't want her anymore why the hell then not just sign the damn things.

"Hey aunt Sandi." Jonny said as he ran in, dressed up in a really dirty pair of jeans, his favorite black Converses and his newest WWE shirt, a Dean Ambrose one. "Did Mommy tell ya where I'm goin for my birthday?"

"If you're good, son.. Only if you're good.. Speaking of.. Did you pass that spelling test, maybe?" Marilyn asked as she pulled her son onto her lap and ruffled his hair, let him dig around in the junk and notebooks of his Batman bookbag until he pulled out a wrinkled paper and held it out proudly. "I gots a b."

"I made a B." Marilyn corrected as Jonny shrugged and muttered cheekily, "Same difference." as he said "Teacher said you gotta sign it though.. Because three of the kids in the class failed.. So she wants to make sure all our mommies and daddies see what we made."

Marilyn grabbed a pen and signed her name, sighed as she realized that if Jon did sign the papers she'd never be signing his last name to anything.. Ever again.. And the pain set in making her bite her lower lip as she handed their son his B+ spelling test back and then tell him to "Go play now. Since you passed your test and you haven't done anything bad you can watch tv for a little bit if you want."

"COOL! I gonna go watchs the wrestling I miss." Jonny said as he practically bolted out of the kitchen and into the den, the white wooden pocket sliding door sliding shut behind him so he didn't interrupt the grown up conversation going on in the kitchen. He flopped down on the floor with a bowl of popcorn, blue eyes wide with excitement as he watched his favorite wrestler, Dean Ambrose, bait Seth Rollins (who he actually kinda hated anyway) and laughed when they got into a brawl backstage.

"It'd be awesome if he was my daddy." Jonny mused to himself as he sighed and went back to watching the show quietly. After Ambrose and Reigns came out the entire scope of the show went downhill (unless of course they bought out CM Punk or The Wyatt Family, both of whom Jonny was a fan of also) so Jonny's limited six year old patience usually only watched at least four of the matches.

Five if they had a divas match worth watching to the small boy sitting on the hardwood floor in front of a 40 inch flatscreen tv currently.

In the kitchen, Marilyn paced as she looked at Sandi and said "You gotta come with me."

"You sure, Mari?" Sandi asked as Marilyn bit her lower lip and nodded then wrang her hands together nervously and admitted, "Jon.. He's got this really, really strong personality.. And he's stubborn as hell.. Also one hell of a charmer.. And I got things I want to say to him.. Things I won't say if he distracts me like he used to be so good at doing back then.. I gotta get all this off my chest."

"Yeah.. I'll be there, girl.. Besides.. I watched some of that show on Monday.. The Viper is sexy, no?"

"Huh?"

"Randy Orton, girl, damn it, focus." Sandi teased as Marilyn shrugged then said quietly, "It might be a bias but to me, none of 'em are as sexy as Jon." to which Sandi laughed and shook her head then said "This whole thing makes about as much sense as.. I don't know, really, but it doesn't make much sense. You obviously love the guy with all you have.. But you won't reach out and try and fix things.. He sends the damn divorce papers back unsigned every time you mail them to him but he won't reach out, yet he cares enough obviously to send tickets to a show to see you again in person.."

"That or he's gonna blow up on me and he'd rather do it in person." Marilyn admitted nervously as she remembered just how notorious Jon Good's temper could be when he wanted it to be so.. Had almost seven years apart changed that?

Or was he still the same old Jon in every way imaginable.

Her eyes caught on the calendar on the kitchen wall and she bit her lower lip as she realized that the show was now only a good 3 days away.. And she was no more ready to yank off the 'bandage' over the wound that was their marriage now than she had been when she left all those years ago.. But sooner or later, something had to give..


	9. Chapter 9

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted nine chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, eighteen reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

* * *

He paced the backstage of the arena. The show was only in a few hours, he'd spent the better part of the past three days almost on an emotional rollercoaster as he tried to visualize just how it was going to go tonight, what he'd do if she had the fucking nerve to bring another man along with her. He pulled his hand slowly through his sweat dampened hair and looked again at his cell phone.

He'd programmed her number in it, just having the damn thing had been temptation and torture all in one. He'd managed, however, to stubbornly hold off of calling her. What he hadn't managed was to stop himself from satisfying his curiousity.. And he'd gotten on google, on any social networking site he could think of, searching for Marilyn Santiago.. He hadn't found a damn thing. At one point, he'd almost asked Seth or Roman to help him look but he didn't want them knowing what he was up to and ragging him about it.

They all already ragged him more than enough about his stubborn refusal to sign the damn divorce papers and let everything just go. He wasn't ready to let her go, he'd probably never actually be ready to let her go. Not when he knew now that he actually meant all the promises he made to her back then, also. It'd taken him a long damn time but he'd figured it out. He loved her. She was it for him. Even if he didn't always do the best at showing her, even though he'd probably done more to hurt her back then than anyone had before him..

He loved her. And if he just gave that up?

He really didn't know how he'd handle anything ever again. Not when he'd finally had the thing he always wanted and let it go. So no, he wasn't going to let this go without a serious fight. He just didn't actually know how to fight it yet. If she had a kid, he figured, then she'd most likely be showing up tonight with another man and that was another thing he wasn't entirely sure that he was going to handle well, either.

"You okay?" Roman asked Dean as Dean shrugged and went back to pacing, his ice blue eyes boring holes through the clock and his cell phone respectively. Roman hadn't actually ever seen the guy this tightly wound and it concerned him. If Dean did something stupid tonight.. Roman shoved that thought out of his head as he said quietly, "She's gonna show, man."

"And she ain't gonna be alone when she does. All three of the tickets were gone."

"So maybe she's bringing a friend."

"Or maybe she's bringin the motherfucker she left me for in the first place. Cause there had to fuckin be one. I mean it ain't like her, just up and leave the way she did. She found a better guy, couldn't get the fuck away from me fast enough.. Just like...Nevermind." Dean muttered in a flat tone of voice as Roman shook his head and pointed out, "You said it yourself, man.. You tried to cheat on her all the time back then. Not only that, I'm pretty sure you were an asshole a lot of the time too.. But do you really think she left you because she had another man?"

Dean mulled it over and shrugged then said "I was gone a lot, man.. I was fuckin gone all the time. She coulda and I'd never have fucking known about it. Besides.. Wouldn't be like I didn't bring it on myself."

"Sit down or something, shit.. You're acting like any second you're gonna take somebody's damn head off and you're already in more than enough deep shit with the boss. Just sit down, drink your water and for the love of God, Good.. Do not fucking think about anything. Because you'll just come up with more shit to get angry about and she's not even here to defend herself."

"Shut it, Anoai."

"I said what I wanted to say." Roman said as he looked at his friend while shaking his head and almost wanting to laugh to himself. Naturally, Dean was going to sit here and come up with every bad situation that could happen, imagine things that probably were not true, get jealous over another man who'd probably never even existed and Roman could already see it now.. By the time Dean's estranged wife got here?

He'd be ready to explode.

"I'm gonna fuckin kick this other guy's teeth down his throat when I see him." Dean mused seconds later as he stood and stretched, fished out a crushed pack of cigarettes from his gym shorts pockets and said "Going for a smoke. Just gotta think about what the hell I'm gonna say when I finally see her again. Gotta figure out how the hell I'm gonna keep from cavin in. Or stranglin her for breakin the one promise she made that I stupidly chose to believe."

Roman groaned and shook his head as he raked his hands through his damp hair. As usual, it looked like this whole thing was going to turn into one giant disaster. Roman just hoped to hell that Dean found a way to keep himself calm until they were at least out of the arena.

Outside, Dean picked up a garbage can and hurled it down onto the ground, growling in anger. In his mind, he'd already convinced himself.. If she had a kid now, judging by the noises he'd heard in the background of the message that she left on Roman's answering machine.. That stood to reason that she had another man too.

And when he saw this man, if there was one, he knew he'd get mad and jealous and he knew that he'd do something stupid before he could stop himself. Biting his lip he paced as he smoked and tried to get himself in a less angry state of mind. But nothing was helping.

Everytime he'd have himself believing that maybe, just maybe, this one time when he wanted to be wrong about something so badly he could almost taste it, he actually would, he'd think of a whole new way tonight could go very very badly.

Frustrated, he walked back into the building and eyed the clock again. He was down to two more hours now until he'd see her again.. And he was torn between unfounded anger and jealousy, tension, this overwhelming feeling of happiness (because he was finally going to see her again, he'd finally be close enough to kiss or touch her again if he wanted and she didn't piss him off so bad that he wound up strangling her instead) and this odd sort of calm deep down.. If she went this long without sending the papers... maybe on some level she didn't want this to be over.

Just like he was basically saying when he sent them back to her, every single time she sent them to him, unsigned. His fear had kept him from trying to fix things.. He was afraid that if he tried and he messed up again, he'd be alone all over again.. That's why he hadn't looked for her. He was afraid to try again. But he hadn't ever really wanted anything more than he'd wanted her back then.

Oddly enough even though he was bitter and angry about her leaving him, even though he wanted to hate her for it, he couldn't.. And he still wanted her as much as he had when they first met.

But was that enough to keep him from fucking this up if he managed to make it through tonight without fucking it up right out of the gate?


	10. Chapter 10

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted ten chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, twenty four reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

**Again.. Not claiming that anybody would react the way I have things written here.. I'm sort of basing things off his promos in the past, his past characters and this one, and the one or two personal ooc interviews I've seen, so I apologize in advance if this is the shittiest and most ooc reaction you guys have ever read.. I hope you guys like it. I tried to keep it as real as possible.. And no worries, this story is a long way from over.. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve.**

**Again, sorry if it seems out of character or unrealistic. I really did try my best to make it as real as again, don't know the guy personally, and this is the way that the musi (Damn the annoying fuckers to hell, right) took me, so... **

* * *

Marilyn parked her car in the arena parking lot and thought about the irony in the night. An arena, almost seven years ago was where she'd realized (or she thought she did, at least, she had no clue just how wrong she was and wouldn't until much later) that Jon maybe didn't want her or need her as much as she wanted and needed him and she'd decided to go home and pack up, leave him so he'd be happier, she wouldn't be there holding him back from anything.

And now, here she sat, almost seven years later.. About to go in and face him. And she wondered what she'd see when she was finally face to face with him again, if he was still the same old Jonathan that made her knees weak, her brain all sorts of fuzzy (even when he made her so damn angry she couldn't think straight) and made her almost not able to breathe around him.. Or had he changed.. Would he recognize her right off or would he not even know who she was? And what was going to happen when he saw Jonny.

Any idiot with half a brain could look at their son and clearly see who his father was. Except, of course, Jon, depending on just how angry he was when he laid eyes on her again. If he were in a calm state of mind, he'd be able to see it.. But she wasn't holding her breath for that. Jon being calm would almost be like hell having frozen over.

He had a quick temper, like her. Their son had gotten his temper honestly. Both of them had quick tempers and short fuses. And tonight, Marilyn was hoping to hell that he'd at least try to hold his temper when they finally saw each other again for the sake of their son. That he'd actually look at Jonny and maybe figure things out.

Not fly off the handle and in a jealous rage accuse her of being with another guy.

"Mommy? Are we gonna go in? If we wanna meet the wrestlers before the show we gotta hurry." Jonny asked impatiently from where he sat in the passenger seat. Marilyn gripped the steering wheel and said finally with a fake smile, "Yeah, little guy, let's go inside. Mommy was just thinking about something." as she bit her lower lip and got out of her car on shaky legs. She went around and picked up their son from the passenger side and took one last good look at herself in the reflection of the window.

Sandi's 'advice' rang in her ears, _'Your best bet, girl, is look so damn good that he can't let you walk outta there. If you want him back, you've gotta step it up. Be firm. Do not let him do the leading this time. Catch that guy by the balls.' _and for a moment, she smiled a little to herself. However, it was around that exact moment that the SUV pulled to a stop next to her car. And she happened to see who was driving the SUV. And it felt like all the wind got knocked right out of her body.

Jon hadn't changed a bit. She steeled her nerve and decided to test something. She kept walking towards the arena with her son gaping back at his idol having parked next to them the entire time, shouting at the man as he got out of the SUV and begging his mom to go back and let him meet the guy. Marilyn stopped and looked at her son patiently, then back at Jon who she noticed was watching her intently.

"You wanna meet him, huh?"

"Mhmm, please mommy, can we?" Jonny begged as Marilyn steeled her nerve and prepared herself for the face off to begin while walking back towards the SUV that Jon had just gotten out of. Would Jon even recognize her now?

He hadn't even seen a picture of her in almost seven years. She hadn't changed that much but still.. She had changed a little. She'd worked her ass off to get to the place she was now, happy with herself, comfortable in her own skin, maybe even a little confident if she dare say it. But seeing Jon right now only set her back to where she'd been when she'd left him. And it killed her.

She'd wanted so badly to be the one he couldn't live without. She'd wanted to be the only girl he'd love. Seeing him with the other girl, hearing him say what he had that night.. It'd hurt. It'd stuck with her, she hadn't been able to get past it.

Dean watched the leggy woman with almost black dark brown hair that stopped about mid back as she slunk across the parking lot, her kid in her arms. He froze as the kid said something, and then smirked.. The kid sounded just like the kid that had been talking loudly in the background of Marilyn's message on Roman's machine.

Then the woman stopped and turned around, looked dead at him. He stared at her a few moments as he felt his throat closing up a little.. Take away the really dark hair, the tan.. Add a few soft pounds to that body.. She could be Marilyn, his estranged wife. He coughed as Seth and Roman caught up to him and Roman asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah.. Just thought I saw her, man.. But it's not. Can't be." Dean muttered as the three men walked right past Marilyn and her son. Marilyn watched him walking right past and she bit her lower lip, her heart racing and sinking simultaneously. He hadn't even recognized her. She looked at her son who was looking at her with wide begging eyes and she thought to herself, _'Have some class.. Get this over with out here. Where nobody hears him when he rips into you. Which you know, he kinda has every reason to do.. You did leave and not even attempt to tell him he had a son. All because you were afraid.'_

"Jonathan?" she called out just as Dean's hand closed around the handle to the door leading into the backstage area of the arena. He froze and turned around slowly. Roman and Seth exchanged looks and seconds later, the leggy dark haired woman who'd been carrying her son across the parking lot they'd walked past on the way in caught up to them, looking at Dean with a slightly fearful and slightly bitter and hurt look in her eyes.

Dean blinked and looked at her, then at the little boy in her arms.. The little boy with ice blue eyes and a crooked smirk.. For a few moments he didn't say anything.. He wasn't really sure what the hell to say, exactly. But quickly his natural instincts kicked in and he grabbed hold of her elbow, dragged her off to the side alone after glaring at Roman and Seth who were trying not to laugh at his deer in the headlights facial expression.

Seth, he noted, was eyeing Marilyn and truth be told, Dean wasn't entirely crazy about the way in which Seth was looking at her.

Once they stood off to the side alone, Dean paced in front of her angrily, swearing to himself as he raked his hand through his hair slowly. Pacing was sort of his thing when he was angry and trying to figure out just how much of his anger he was about to unleash.

"You fuckin left."

Marilyn sighed.. She had the feeling this wasn't going to be an easy and painless confrontation.. And seeing him again only made her realize just how much she wanted him back.. And just how much she'd actually taken it to heart when she'd said the words 'Til Death Do Us Part' back then in front of some old Justice of the Peace.

"That's seriously the first thing you're going to say?" she asked finally as he stopped pacing and glared at her, swore a little and then went back to pacing again.

" Oh.. I got plenty I wanna fuckin say.. But I'm not gonna say it in front of the kid." Dean hissed angrily as Marilyn gulped a little, fear showing for a split second in her brown eyes as she said calmly, "Like it or not, Jon, you're gonna have to say it.. Because there is no way in hell I'm leaving our son with people I do not know.. Not with all the shit that goes down backstage during a show and after.. But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" with a bitter smirk playing across her full lips.

Lips that right now he couldn't decide whether he wanted to kiss because she was here, she was standing right in front of him again, he almost had her back where she fucking belonged, or bite off, because that damn snarky attitude of hers was apparently stronger than ever.

His eyes shifted to the kid and he realized what she'd just said then promptly gaped at her, speechless for once. Then he started to pace again, because when he realized she obviously had a kid because of the kid playing in the background of the message she left on Roman's machine, the fact that the kid called her mommy.. he'd pictured another guy as being the reason she left him back then, that another man had to have gotten to her, gotten her pregnant, made her finally see that she deserved better than a bum asshole like him... He'd never stopped and considered that the kid might be **his**.

"Sure.. That's what ya claiming, huh?" Dean asked, his temper and his mouth overriding what he knew about her, or at least what he had known, back then.. She'd never fuck around on him.. She'd had several chances and temptations but she'd never actually done it that he knew of.. Then again, she had left him without even a note or a fuck you I'm done... So what did he really know about her if he thought about it?

"Seriously, Jon.. You're gonna fuckin go there? You're gonna say I cheated? Last time I checked, Jon, you were the one who had such a damn difficult time keeping it in his pants. And all those nights I was layin there in our apartment, alone.. You never spent a damn night alone back then, did you?" Marilyn spat as she covered their son's ears and fought like hell to stay calm for their son's sake..

Roman walked over and said quietly, "Me and Seth can take the little guy.."

"Roman's actually got a kid. I'd trust him." Dean mused as he glared at Marilyn and said "And we got a lot of shit to talk about.. Starting with how I'm definitely not giving you a god damn divorce now. Unless of course, ya lyin about the kid being mine. Which I haven't exactly ruled out yet." while narrowing his eyes at her.

Marilyn mulled over letting their son go with the two men who obviously knew Jon well.. Ultimately, she decided that this was a very adult conversation that their son had no business hearing at his age.. Lots of things were going to be said and she knew how volatile Jon's temper had always been.. She didn't want to scare her son before she finally told him that Jon was his father.. If she got the chance to, if Jon didn't just immediately reject it, tell her that he was not going to be a father, that he didn't want a damn kid. She hadn't ruled that out entirely.. He'd never actually acted like he wanted a kid before.. If she'd bought it up back then they usually wound up having a knock down drag out about it..

"Fine.. But do not give him an assload of candy.. And do not let him out of your sight or I swear to God I'll.." Marilyn said as she handed her son over and explained to Jonny, "Mommy's gonna talk to this guy, okay? She'll be right in. You be a good little guy. No running off." firmly. Jonny nodded and looked at Dean Ambrose then said "You my favorite wrestler." with a shy smile before going to Roman.

"He'll be fine." Roman said with a smile as he gave Dean a strange look (-because he could tell that Dean hadn't once stopped and thought that maybe the kid he heard in the background of the message might be his own -) and walked in carrying his best friend's son. Once Roman and Seth were in the building, Jonny said quietly, "This is awesome.. My mommy.. She say that tonight was special.."

"It is, little buddy." Seth said as he looked at the little boy and then said with a shake of his head and a laugh, "If that idiot doesn't see that this poor kid is definitely marked by him, Anoai.."

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same.." Roman said as he asked the little boy, "So, did your dad come with you tonight?"

"Nope.. I don't has one.. Well, I do but Mommy said he's probably better off without her.. She's sad a lot though.. She told me once that my daddy was a wrestler.. That's why I started watchin it on tv, Mr. Reigns."

Roman nodded and mused to himself quietly, "Interesting."

Outside the arena, Dean continued pacing as Marilyn fumed and swore and gave him increasingly dirty looks. Neither of them were really talking currently. When Dean finally did stop pacing he asked in a barely calm tone of voice, "Why the fuck would you not tell me?"

"Because, Jon, it's a subject that every single time I did mention, you flipped out and left. I knew you didn't want a kid. And when I came to the show that night, saw you.."

"When did you come to the show and what'd you see?" Dean asked as he looked at her, glared and demanded, "Fuckin answer me."

"I came to surprise you.. You'd told me you wouldn't be able to come home when you planned.. I'd just found out I was pregnant and I really, really missed you.. I wanted to see you.. So I drove up to the show one night.. And when I walked backstage.. i saw you about to sleep with another girl.. I heard what you told her.. I was just some girl. I left and when I got back to our apartment, after I cried for a few hours, I decided that since you obviously felt that way.. maybe I should just fucking leave."

He stared at her a few moments as what she said sank in.. Then he started to pace again.. This was all his fault, naturally.. Sure, she'd overreacted and misconstrued everything she saw that night, but.. He had been the one trying to wreck them from the start of their marriage.. Because he got sick of waiting on the day she left.. He wanted to prove to himself that sooner or later everyone would leave him.. And when he did whatever it was she'd seen the night she showed up intent on surprising him..

He'd gotten exactly what he thought he wanted then.. She'd left, proved him right.

And now that she was standing in front of him again, he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted that.. Or why he'd done it in the first place. A few moments passed and he said firmly, "That's my kid.."

"If I were gonna lie, Jon, I'd say he wasn't.. I'd have told you I fucked around. You fucking know me. But if you're so damn intent on not believing it, we can get a DNA test."

He glared at her then said through gritted teeth, "That damn mouth of yours, Mari.. It always pissed me off. And you don't want me gettin any madder do ya?"

" If you fuckin scared me, Jon, I'd have left your ass that day I found you in the alley down below the apartment we lived in and you tried to scare me off to keep whoever it was that beat the hell out of you from seeing me and putting me in the middle of it. If you fucking scared me, I never would have stuck around after everybody started telling me about the shit you did when you got mad.. I would've left the first time you lost it with me and went on that apartment destroying rampage. Obviously, Jon, you don't. So go ahead and try whatever it is you're thinking so hard about doing. But I will put you on your ass because I'm not that same weak little girl anymore, either." Marilyn snapped as she looked up at him and raked her hand through her long dark brown hair, tangling her fingers in it as she bit her lower lip nervously.

She was bluffing but she was doing it just to see if he'd react to a new attitude.. He did scare her sometimes, but she loved him more than she feared him, sadly.. Even when he got a little crazy.

And she realized now that she stood in front of him that it hadn't changed a bit in all their time apart.

The only thing that had changed was now she was older, she knew how to handle things he'd throw at her better. And she realized that she wanted him back. Even knowing what she might go through.. Which made her angry with herself, made her really wonder if she had a firm grip on sanity..

Because as the saying went, 'Shoes don't stretch and men don't change.' And in this situation? That saying almost definitely applied to Jon.

"There ya go with that damn mouth of yours again.. Ya lucky I don't bite ya lips right off." Dean said as he kept a tight grip on her elbow, leaned in dangerously close to her lips, his own lips almost brushing them as he said quietly, "I don't know what the fucking hell to believe right now, Mari because before ya left, I didn't think ya would ever leave me.. Never thought you'd turn out to be just like everybody else."

She sighed and said quietly, "Never thought you'd just throw me to the side like some toy you got tired of playing with either. Never thought that the vows we made back then were a joke.. I actually thought you meant what you said the day we got married. Then I saw you with that damn ring rat backstage at one of your last CZW shows."

"I was testin myself, god damn it. If it matters." Dean said through gritted teeth as his hand tightened it's grip on her arm and she tried yanking her arm free and said "Sure as hell didn't sound like it."

"Yeah? Well I guess ya didn't know me, huh?"

"Back at ya." Marilyn snapped as she finally did tear her arm free and start to storm off. Tonight had been a huge mistake. She was dangerously close to believing the load of crap he was trying to sell her currently, and if she didn't get away she'd be right back where she'd already been once.. She'd be letting him lead her around by the nose, believing he really loved her when nobody else she'd ever had in her life had.

And she desperately wanted to believe that.

Even now, even knowing that not one time in nearly seven years had he tried to look for her.

His next words shocked her. And she stopped in her tracks, turned to look at him as he said "I tried to find ya four times.. Then I gave up.. ya friends wouldn't tell me a damn thing.. And Sami.. he told me that ya told him I was fuckin around, some other shit.. And ya know he was always too damn protective of you. Always hated how that guy kept popping up, even if he's my boy.. And Rob's lips were zipped.. Why the fuck did you not tell me you were pregnant? What if I wanted to be there? Hell, why am I asking that.. For all I know you might be lying about that too."

"Oh trust me, Jon, he's definitely your son.. Right down to that damn stubborn streak and quick temper.. But you wouldn't know that." Marilyn snapped as Dean glared and said in a low growl, "Because ya fuckin hid him from me. You never gave me a fuckin choice, Mari. We're gonna do the damn test.. And if he's done, Mari? You can kiss the god damn divorce goodbye. Not gonna do to the kid what got done to me. Even if I'm a shitty god damn parent.. I'm gonna fuckin try."

She looked at him and then shrugged as she said stiffly, "Fine." as she glared at him and once again tore her arm out of his iron clad grip then said with a smirk, "Since you're so intent on being involved, Jonathan.. Our son has his third parent teacher conference in a month.. Because some kid pissed him off and he threw a football at the kid, gave him a bloody nose."

Dean looked at her a few moments and nodded solemnly then said "It fuckin hurt when ya left too."

"Sure it did. You got what you wanted.. You got your freedom.. Meanwhile, I was stuck not being able to move on, still so crazy in love with you that it almost killed me. If it really hurt, Jon, you'd have tried harder to find me."

"Yeah? Well if ya really fuckin loved me, Mari, ya wouldn't have ever fuckin left, either, so.." Dean snapped as he fell silent and thought about all the times he'd gotten pissed, took it out on her probably scaring the living hell out of her, probably making her wonder when he'd finally snap and hurt her like her father had a few times before he'd gotten hold of the man and beaten the crap out of him after one particularly bad instance.

He growled as he caught up to her, she'd started to walk off, and he caught her arm again, turned her around and pinned her against the SUV he'd rented to use as a personal vehicle while the show was in town.

"You don't know a damn thing, Mari. But you're about to find out. One way or another, you're gonna see.. You're mine.. I'm not just gonna give up without a fucking fight. And like I said.. I did fuckin try to find ya. But hey, I'll fuckin prove that and then ya gonna feel like a damn idiot."

"Prove it." she snapped as she glared at him, inched out of his reach as best as she could because he kept leaning in as if he'd either choke her or kiss her and sh was a little afraid of him when he was angry like this, she always had been.. Even though he'd never really laid a hand on her.. It just scared her how easily he got angry to begin with.

He smirked as he pulled the papers she kept sending back out of his back pocket and took out his lighter, held it to the bottom of the documents.. He looked at her as the papers burnt and he threw them down, stomped on them and asked through gritted teeth, "Any fuckin questions?" before letting her go finally. She glared at him, speechless for a few moments as she finally asked, "Why not just sign the fucking things.."

"Because, Mari.. Ya mine.. And I'm not gonna just fuckin let you walk away that damn easy. Not when ya fuckin promised me ya wouldn't." Dean remarked a few moments later as he looked at her, arms crossed, smug smirk on his face. She rolled her eyes angrily and then said quietly, "So what.. I'm gonna keep sending them and you're gonna keep destroying them?"

"Nope.. You'll see." Dean said as he looked at her and then pointed out, "Should probably be gettin to ya seats. Shows gonna start soon.. But this?" he gestured to himself and then her as he finished, "Ain't over.. Not by a long shot.." before letting her arm go, letting her walk into the building, he stormed in shortly after she did.

He walked over to Roman and held his arms out, took the little boy and asked with a smirk in Marilyn's direction, "So.. Ya mommy told me ya might wanna meet some of the guys?"

Marilyn grumbled to herself.. Was he seriously going to push this whole thing? She'd only been trying to give him what she thought he wanted, his freedom.. A chance to find someone he could actually love, someone who'd love him right back as much as she did then and now. She swore to herself as Dean and their son walked past, and biting her lower lip, she began to pace.

The worst part of everything was over for tonight.. Now she just had to wait and see what happened next.. And try like hell to resist him.. She'd never been able to do that before.. But she had to now.. She had a son and she didn't want him being hurt by his father.

Roman walked over and asked in concern, "It went well I take it?"

"Oh it went fucking stellar.. He's the same stubborn pig headed son of a... But he claims that he's not done, that he's not gonna let go." Marilyn said as Roman shook his head then asked, "How's that make you feel though?"

"Truth? I've got about a thousand different feelings about it.. If he'd fought this damn hard back then, Joe, I might not have ever left.. But I thought he.. Nevermind.." Marilyn said quietly as she watched Dean carrying their son around, showing him off basically..

Could she have been totally wrong about him back then? What if she'd actually stayed, confronted him about what she'd seen instead of running scared?

Maybe this was a second chance.. If so, they'd already gotten off to a bad start. She sighed as she walked over to Dean and said quietly, "I'll set up the DNA test tomorrow." as she took their son and said "Say goodbye to Mr. Ambrose, Jonny. We gotta go grab our seats." as she managed a small smile, let Jonny say goodbye and then disappeared into the front of the arena.

From behind Dean, Roman said casually, "For what it's worth.. Maybe you should fight for her. I mean if you really do want to keep her. And you two should definitely find some shrink or something, work on talking about shit." as Dean glared at him and watched one of the guys he'd seen checking out Marilyn.

"Remind me to shove Cesaro's eyes down his throat." Dean said possessively as Roman groaned and shook his head, said firmly, "Do not act like a jackass, man."

"She's fuckin mine."

"If you want her back, man, this is not how you do it." Roman said as Dean gave him a dirty look and mulled over what Roman said.. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he tended to listen to Roman a lot more than he did any of his other friends. He trusted the guy. Maybe Roman was right about this too.

Seeing her again tonight only proved exactly why he hadn't signed the papers.. he didn't want to let her go, didn't want this to be over.. And now that he might have a son, he wasn't about to just walk away.. Because that had been done to him as a kid and he hadn't had the best life.. Not to mention that just the few minutes he'd held Jonny just now, he'd actually contemplated wanting to know his son.

So somehow, he was going to try and fix all this.


	11. Chapter 11

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted eleven chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, thirty reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

**Again.. Not claiming that anybody would react the way I have things written here.. I'm sort of basing things off his promos in the past, his past characters and this one, and the one or two personal ooc interviews I've seen, so I apologize in advance if this is the shittiest and most ooc reaction you guys have ever read.. I hope you guys like it. I tried to keep it as real as possible.. And no worries, this story is a long way from over.. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve.**

**Again, sorry if it seems out of character or unrealistic. I really did try my best to make it as real as again, don't know the guy personally, and this is the way that the musi (Damn the annoying fuckers to hell, right) took me, so... **

* * *

The drive home from the arena had mostly been filled with Marilyn laughing and talking to her still very much wide awake son about what he'd seen tonight, the people he'd met when Jon was showing him off backstage. She found herself surprised, really, that he was doing that, that he'd taken Jonny at least three different times during the show whenever he wasn't in a scene or a match.

Then in some ways, she'd remember how good he used to be with his little cousin before she'd been taken away by CPS and it really shouldn't have surprised her all that much. Jon was and still remained a complex walking contradiction. And the time apart had only made him much more complex. They'd barely spoken after their fight, after he'd finally figured out that Jonny was his son (which he still insisted that Marilyn could be lying about, that hurt her a lot more than she thought it would, honestly.) and when she'd actually left the arena earlier, he'd walked over and demanded her phone number.

Which, of course, in light of the situation they were in currently, she'd given him. Not that she expected him to call or anything, he'd went this long without so much as any form of communication, at least to her knowledge he had, she just didn't expect things to magically change overnight. She was older now, she wasn't in this situation with blinders on by any means.

They turned onto the block their little two story house was on and she pulled the car to a stop in her driveway. She'd just carried an excitedly fighting sleep Jonny up the stairs and into the house when she heard the phone start to ring. And she let it go to message thinking it was just Sandi wanting to know how things went tonight.

She was wrong because she heard Jon, angry, words slurring.. She grumbled and rolled her eyes in annoyance. After all the fighting they'd done earlier, he was seriously going to call her, drunk, three and a half hours later almost, and start the damn fight over again. Marilyn was exhausted. Tonight had pretty much drained her energy and her patience for the present bullshit she was hearing on her machine.

She hit the answer button on her cordless phone just as he was about to hang up, angry.

* * *

"She's not gonna pick up you dick, if you call in the mood and frame of mind you're in." Seth said in a bored tone as Roman nodded and took the beer out of his friend's hand, sat it on a counter in the hotel's bathroom. They were a good five hours from their apartment so the three males decided to just get a room for the night, they'd have to move on to another town in a day or so anyway, there really wasn't any sense in driving all the way back to their places this late at night only to have to get up in maybe two hours and get to the airport for their flight out.

"You're done for tonight, man." the Samoan said firmly as Dean stared him down, went to grab for the beer. Roman held it out of his reach, smirked about it the entire time. "The f-fuck.."

"You are done, man.. Like he said.. You're making stupid decisions right now. We're your friends, we're not gonna let you fuck this up. Not for the kid. Who by the way, is most definitely your kid."

"D-did ya see when he elbowed that one guy sitting in the crowd beside 'em for starin at Mari's tits?" Dean asked, his words slurring badly as Roman said "We did.. But thing of it is, man.. If you want her back?" as he gestured to Dean's current state of being, "This isn't gonna cut it."

"It's not, man.. No decent grown ass woman is gonna put up with this shit, man.. Remember last time I got a little too drunk and went home to my girl?" Seth asked as Roman snickered and Dean nodded then said quietly, "Yeah? Well if she f-fu.. If she fuckin loves me she'll take me as I am."

"That.. Is the stupidest thing, and the most incorrect thing, Jon, that you've said in the entire history of our friendship." Seth said as he looked at Dean, shook his head and said "The way you were talking to her tonight, man.. That could have a lot to do with why she was fucking terrified of you then and probably still is now."

"He's right.. Women don't like that kinda shit."

"Hell, Roman can't even raise his voice a little without his girl storming out and swearing at him in irritation." Seth said as Roman added, "And Seth, well.. What we're trying to tell you, buddy, is that if you want her back and you want this to work? You are gonna have to basically not be you."

"The fuckin hell?" Dean asked as he burped loudly, leaned against the counter in the hotel room, tried to comprehend what his friends are talking about because all it sounded like, to him, was a bunch of pointless bitching and nagging. Why change? It hadn't bothered Marilyn back then, at least not from what he'd known. He waved his friends off and grumbled as he fumbled around in his pockets for his cigarettes and a lighter.

"Goin to smoke."

"Sober up and then try to call her again."

"Whatever, man."

The two males looked at each other once Dean was out of the room and earshot and Roman shook his head as Seth said "He wants her back.. But he's gonna have to basically change everything about the way he handles her.."

"Exactly."

"We're basically gonna have to help the idiot."

"Yeah. But hey.. What are friends for?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted eleven chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, thirty two reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

**Again.. Not claiming that anybody would react the way I have things written here.. I'm sort of basing things off his promos in the past, his past characters and this one, and the one or two personal ooc interviews I've seen, so I apologize in advance if this is the shittiest and most ooc reaction you guys have ever read.. I hope you guys like it. I tried to keep it as real as possible.. And no worries, this story is a long way from over.. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve.**

**Again, sorry if it seems out of character or unrealistic. I really did try my best to make it as real as again, don't know the guy personally, and this is the way that the musi (Damn the annoying fuckers to hell, right) took me, so... **

* * *

He paced the backstage area of the arena that the show tonight was being held in. He'd called her ten times. And he'd taken his friends advice this time, he was stone cold sober.. All he wanted to do was hear her damn voice, really.. he'd been having one of his lower days and she'd always helped him through those back then.. He'd wanted to talk to her, to at least try and feel closer to her somehow. If you were to ask him, this whole thing with them couldn't be fixed fast enough. If it ever actually got fixed at all.

He seemed to be good at putting his foot in his mouth where she was concerned lately. It was like the almost seven years she'd been away from him, she'd grown, she'd changed a lot and she'd become this entirely different person. Stronger, sassier and able to handle a lot more. And he liked it, it turned him on, but.. It also got to be very frustrating, because he didn't know how to deal with these changes she'd made in herself.

Like this not answering his damn calls.

"I know ya there, Mari." he coaxed the answering machine as it picked up yet again. He'd been just about to hang up when she picked up, out of breath and said quietly, "What do you want, Jon?"

"Wanted to talk to ya, okay? Can a man not call to talk to his damn wife, woman?" Dean asked as he leaned against at white cement wall backstage and asked, "How's Jonny? How'd the thing at the school go? Ya weren't too damn hard on the kid, were ya? He's a little boy, shit, it's gonna happen." while biting his lower lip, twiddling his thumbs and fidgeting nervously. He couldn't do this, the sober conversation.. There was too much personal stuff he wanted to say to her, that he wanted to do, but he wasn't inebriated with liquid courage enough to say or do any of them.

But Roman and Seth both seemed to think that if he were going to fix anything he'd have to stop calling her drunk, stop talking to her like she was a little girl, like she was that same scared little girl she'd been back when they'd first gotten married and he'd have to realize that she'd grown up. She was a woman now and women didn't like the way he treated them for a very specific reason.

Marilyn raised a brow at the phone in her hand as she stirred the pot of pasta and spaghetti sauce then said quietly, "He's doing okay. I'd be willing to bet he's mad as hell at me right now because I took away his television priveleges and his new bike for two weeks because of the way he's been acting but he's a resiliant kid, our son is, he'll be over it in ten minutes. I wasn't hard on him, Jon, but I did punish him. He can't just do this shit he's been doing at school and not expect consequences. And one day, Jon, little boys have to grow up and be men.. Which is what I'm kind of trying to raise our son to be someday." her tone of voice solemn and slightly dry, heavily laced with sarcasm as he felt his anger flaring up and asked in anger, "Ya sayin I'm not a man? I think we both know that to be false, Mari.. But if ya need a reminder, I can come to ya and show ya."

"Seriously, Jon, I was not directing that at you. I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how you've been trying to reach out and make an effort lately, especially with our son. It means a lot. But that being said, I'm not about to just fall right back in with you, either."

"Sooner or later, Mari, ya gonna be back where ya belong. Just stop resistin and give in." Dean stated matter of factly as Roman and Seth stood nearby, shaking their heads at him. As usual, they hovered as if he couldn't be trusted to do anything on his own and do it without totally fucking it up. The dial tone had him glaring at the phone and Seth said with a smirk, "She hang up on you again, man? Gee.. I wonder why."

"Fuck you in the ass with a cactus, Lopez."

"Good, the fact that you can't even see when you're about to fuck up until long after you've gone and fucked up royally still baffles me." Roman said as he shook his head then said "Walk it off, Good.. Just hurt your pride is all. It's gonna happen a lot before you guys get to any sort of place where you can be around one another without the past coming back, hurting both of you."

"Shut up, the fuck are ya both, Dr. Phil?"

"No, we're just friends trying to help our best friend who happens to be a huge fucking moron where women are concerned.. We want you to get her back, man.. But you're not if you don't fucking listen to us." Seth said as he looked at Dean, arms crossed. Dean kicked at a wall and said quietly, "She fuckin grounded him for that fight."

"And she had every right as a mother, man, to do that.. Kids can't just go around doing that kind of stuff. And if you want to be a part of your kids life? You're gonna stop being a dick and listen to our advice. Because he needs his dad too.. But if you keep alienating his mom with just the way you are in general, man.. It's never gonna work out, you'll never have her back, you'll be an outside part of your son's life.. And remember what you said last night at the bar? You were not gonna sit back and become your old man.."

Dean nodded solemnly and then took a few deep breaths and dialed Marilyn's number. She picked up after about four rings and he said quietly, "Sorry.. About before."

"It's fine. Look, I just.. I blurt shit out now, Jon.. You can't think everything I say is aimed at you. I happened to be talking about my own dad when I said it.. And your dad, he wasn't around.. I just... If you're gonna fly off the handle every single time we talk.. And make demands.. This won't ever be fixed." Marilyn said as she rewound the show she'd been watching on Netflix, an older soap opera called Port Charles: The Gift. She sipped the red wine in her glass and then said "How's your night been so far?"

"Not so bad.. What the hell is that shit you're listening to?"

"It's the theme song from a soap opera.. I got into watching it recently, it's only in reruns though.. I was always late with everything though, right?" Marilyn joked as Jon laughed and said "Ya were.. But I didn't mind it so much."

They talked a little longer and at the end of the 2 hour conversation, Marilyn was shocked to find herself smiling a little when he hung up the phone with her... And she was a little angry with herself when she couldn't get him out of her head as she lie alone in bed upstairs that night, tried to will herself to sleep without dreaming about him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted twelve chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, thirty six reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

**Again.. Not claiming that anybody would react the way I have things written here.. I'm sort of basing things off his promos in the past, his past characters and this one, and the one or two personal ooc interviews I've seen, so I apologize in advance if this is the shittiest and most ooc reaction you guys have ever read.. I hope you guys like it. I tried to keep it as real as possible.. And no worries, this story is a long way from over.. I've got a few ideas up my sleeve.**

**Again, sorry if it seems out of character or unrealistic. I really did try my best to make it as real as again, don't know the guy personally, and this is the way that the musi (Damn the annoying fuckers to hell, right) took me, so... **

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"But mommy..He started it!" Jonny insisted as Marilyn gave her son that patented mom glare used the universe over. The seat next to her own remained vacant, no real surprise there. She hadn't honestly expected Jon to actually show up, even though thanks to DNA test results, the truth was now out. The principal cleared his throat and asked in a serious and all business tone, "We take Jonny's behavior problems very seriously, Mrs. Good." to which Marilyn sighed and said "I know, sir.. But do you take the other kids behavior problems as seriously, I wonder? Because according to my son," she paused to take a breath before continuing, "This other boy seems to like bullying him when the others are not looking.. What about that?"

"I've spoken to his mother about it."

"Yet she's a PTA mommy, so her son gets all the fucking leeway, huh?" Marilyn snapped with a curt tone in her voice. She'd just figured out that her son was being bullied and that at least half the fights he'd been in were Jonny simply trying to defend himself. And she'd apprised Jon of the situation, of course, seeing as how he knew now that Jonny was his son too, he had no doubts, but... If the empty seat was anything to go on, he either couldn't make it or he simply didn't care to bother trying.

And that knowledge, coupled with the principal's elitist fucking attitude, well.. Marilyn could tell this was going to be a pointless conference. "Tell him, Jonny, tell him everything you told me." she said as she nudged her son who seemed to be more interested in his fingernails currently than talking to the principal. Jonny looked at the man and said quietly, "I was just doin what my daddy said I had to do, sir. Since every teacher I tell on Timmy won't freakin listen to me.. Or my mommy."

The principal gave him a look and then asked, "I wasn't aware that his father had contact with the boy."

"Not that it's any of your damn business, man," Dean spoke from the doorway as he took a seat lazily next to Marilyn and mouthed, "Seth put the wrong street in the GPS, woman, don't give me that fuckin look." before turning his attention back to the principal to point out, "But my son will have more contact with me from here on out. I'm out on the road a lot, but I'm gonna try and be around."

"What is it you do, Mr. Good?" the principal asked with a raised brow as he consulted Jonny's student file, peered at it over his glasses.

"It ain't in there." Dean said through gritted teeth as he gave Marilyn a look, nodded his head to the principal and mouthed, "I don't like this fuckin guy." to which Marilyn sat silently, not sure how to take his arrival, late or otherwise.. Did she read anything into his being there? Or did she just wait for the old Jon to come out, the one she was used to dealing with and being let down constantly by?

She wasn't sure anymore.. He still had his moments, like his 3 am drunken calls when all he wanted was to talk dirty to her and tell her how much she just needed to give in, come back.. He even said he still owned the little house they'd lived in when they first got married, he just saw no point in staying there alone because to quote him 'place was too damn hard to keep clean like she was always good at doing'.

His friends, however, had reached out and told her to at least give the guy a chance to prove himself, that he was trying, that he did still love her and he might have messed up ways of showing it, but he did love her very much, and he did want her back.

Of course, she'd told them both that in order for her to go back he was going to have to do a lot of things differently. A lot of things.. Nearly everything he used to do that scared her then and worried her now even still.. They had to go.

He nudged her and the principal's stern voice bought her out of her musings just in time for her to hear the principal say "According to those other kids, Mrs. Good.. It's your son starting it."

"Seriously? You're going to take their sides?" Marilyn snapped with a raised brow as she held up her son's arm, showed the principal the bruises all over it, then gestured to Jonny's hair, which she'd had to get cut when some kid put a piece of cotton candy flavored chewing in it during nap time.

"I've got no choice, Mrs. Good."

"You do, you could actually open your eyes." Marilyn said as Dean added, "And get ya god damn head outta your ass. If the kid's not startin all this, which he says he's not, it's good enough for me. My question is, sir, what the hell are you gonna do about the kids that are messin with him? Or should I maybe handle..."

Marilyn glared at him and nudged him in the side, shook her head and mouthed, "These assholes already give me more than enough shit. I get that you're trying to help but this is only gonna get you thrown in jail.. Because your temper."

It didn't matter, Dean was already working on being 3 quarters of the way too angry to function properly. He was literally seeing red, over a kid who while was his own flesh and blood, he barely knew.

That shocked him more than anything.

The principal gave them both looks and said firmly, "Two weeks suspension. At the end of the two weeks, Mrs. Good, we'll have another meeting to decide whether he's allowed back into this school without some alternative program. Fighting is a very serious offense."

"Good, great.. Guess two weeks gives me time to find a lawyer and challenge the hell out of this." Marilyn said in a curt tone, scowl on her face. Dean, however, spoke up and said in a barely calm voice, "Fuck this school.. We're takin Jonny out."

Marilyn cut her eyes up at her estranged husband and said firmly, "No, Jon, we are not.. This is the best school in this town."

"The hell it is, Mari.. Ya gonna let this asshole sit here and tell you what to do with ya, with our kid? I'm not. Fuck this bastard and this school." Dean argued.

It hit Marilyn then why all this was so hard on him... She knew, of course, that when they'd been younger, he'd sat where their son was sitting now.. And his mom hadn't done a damn thing to try and help him.. So he was overcompensating..

And doing it in a way that only a pain in the ass quick tempered male who'd never let more than 4 people into his life knew how.

He was trying, she saw that now..

But she just still was not sure if she should let down her guard a little or not.. But she did see his point about their son's school.

"C'mon Jonny.. We'll take ya to get McDonalds. And sir? I've just decided.. My estranged husband, while vulgar in his choice of words, is exactly right. You won't be seeing Jonny anymore, because effective immediately, I will be taking him out.. And I will not be recommending this school to any friends of mine with children.. I'm afraid they're not all rich enough for the liking of this place anyhow." Marilyn said with a bitter smirk as she took the books out of Jonny's bookbag and shoved them onto the desk, picked up her son and stormed out of the office sharply.

About halfway down the hallway, Dean caught up to her and said calmly, "It's the right thing, Mari.. Kid can get just as smart at that public school two blocks over."

"I wanted him to have better than we did, Jon, so you're totally missing the point on that. But in there.. I'm glad you care, I love that you stood up for him and I know why.. That does not mean that I'm just going to fall back in with you."

He grumbled and gaped at her a moment, then what Roman said to him before he'd left to come down here repeated in his mind. He nodded then said quietly, "Not goin anywhere. And I think I really wanna fix things this time."

"Well, you're getting a chance, prove it." Marilyn said quietly as she stared at him a few moments. Jonny leaned in and whispered, "Can Daddy come with us to McDonalds?"

If not for her son, she might have let things hang as they had unfolded just now.. But she also heard the advice given to her by not only Joe's wife but her own best friend Sandi, both at different times. If she didn't let him try and prove he meant things he said this time, then he couldn't do it. Biting her lower lip she smiled a little then said "If he's not too busy, okay? He does have to get on the road tonight."

"Ya gonna bring the kid to the show in Tennessee in two weeks.. Right? Ya said I get to have him for a few nights.. Kinda got Roman to help me plan things." Dean said with a mysterious shrug as Marilyn nodded and said "I did promise. So yes, we'll be there. You coming or not?"

"If ya want me goin."

"Damn it, Jon, if I didn't want you to come to McDonalds with us... You came all this way, least I can do is get you food and let you see Jonny for a few hours, right?"

He nodded, smirked to himself as they walked out of the school building.


	14. Chapter 14

**Wowza! I never thought this story would get the attention it's gotten. I've only posted thirteen chapters and it's already gotten holy moly, forty one reviews!. Glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm writing this one as I go, so let's hope you guys continue to enjoy it. The reviews and the follows and faves have totally made my day and I needed it, really. So thanks guys.**

**FYI, I use a mix of the guys real and ring names. Sorry if it confuses, it's me seperating the show from reality.  
**

* * *

He'd raised his hand to knock on the front door of the small two story house but she opened it, blinking in shock at him, her hair still messed up as if she'd only just woken up when the cab dropped him off at the curb and took off. "Mari? Ya can't answer a god damn phone, woman?"

"Jon, it's seven am. I was asleep, damn it. If Jonny hadn't seen the cab and come to wake me up, excited, I'd still be asleep.. Kind of my day off.. What the hell are you doing here, anyway?" she asked, confused. Dean held up a heavily bandaged shoulder and said quietly, "Anoa'i told me I was a pain in his ass so..." as he looked at her, felt his throat closing up a little. She frowned at the injury and then stepped aside, let him into the house as she said quietly, "If it weren't for our son, Jon.. I'd put your ass right back in that cab. I've told you, I'm not just going to fall right back into your arms.. A lot has to change, Jon or we're never gonna... Forget it, I'm talking to a god damn brick wall apparently because I've said it a thousand times since the night we saw each other again at the arena and you've yet to actually hear me."

"Because, Mari, I know ya lying. You still love me or you wouldn't keep wearing that. You'd have been like any other bitch and pawned it." Dean nodded to her wedding ring and the engagement ring he'd had to practically sell a kidney to buy her back then. Now it'd be nothing to buy her a better one, he'd actually looked at it, out of curiousity when Seth went to pick up the ring he intended on giving his girl around Christmas this year.

Not that he was thinking about redoing everything, he'd never willingly admit to that. Not and look like a pussy in front of the boys.

But sadly, the male had to admit.. Mari was it for him. She was pretty much the one constant in his life, just like he'd hoped to be in hers. Then she'd ditched him all those years ago without so much as a note goodbye or anything. And certainly not a good reason. He coughed as she gently shoved him down on the couch and then walked away, into the kitchen.

She was wearing his red shirt, the Cincinatti one.. He smirked to himself. There were definite perks to having an injury, having to take some downtime out of nowhere.. He could pop up here, maybe get her to let him stay, and then maybe things would work themselves out. That was what he was pinning his hopes on at least.

She came back in with an ice pack that was more squishy than it was frozen and he raised a brow but she shook her head and held out two Tylenols to him, a glass of orange juice as she said solemnly, "This.. This is why I always hated it when you were on the road.. Always worried you'd get hurt or killed even. Still scares me, just annoys me more than anything now." as she bit her lower lip. She winced as she unwrapped the gauze slowly, gingerly pressed the ice pack to his shoulder and said "Hold that there. I've gotta go answer the damn phone." as she took off at a jog for the kitchen.

His son flopped down onto the couch beside him and asked, "Did ya get hurt bad, daddy?"

"Not too bad, kiddo.. Like that new school?" Dean asked as he reached out, ruffled the kid's hair as he smirked. The little boy smirked back, an almost mirror image of his smirk, Dean noted with pride, and said quietly, "It's not so bad.. There's this girl in my class.. She's always trying to snuggle up to me at naptime.. Made me a batman cape."

"Ahh.. Yeah, girls do that."

"She held ice pack to my lip when I accidentally busted it during pee wee football.. She a cheerleader." Jonny said with slight annoyance and a hint of a fond look in his eyes. Dean chuckled, the way his son told the story about this little girl and himself kind of got Dean thinking about how he and Marilyn met when they were younger. And he'd been smirking at the memory when Mari's clearing her throat had him looking up, jolted him back into reality as he asked with a crooked grin, "What?"

"Called in sick. Someone's gotta stay here with you. Ya can't move your damn arm well enough to actually do anything on your own.. What'd the medic say, Jon?"

"Said two or three weeks, give or take.. Also said I was damn lucky I didn't do any more than I actually did to the damn thing.. Also said I got bruised ribs.. Kinda why I'm wrapped up all over like a god damn mummy." Dean said as he coughed, winced when it actually hurt him a little. Marilyn sighed and shook her head then asked, "Was it when ya did that one high dive move?"

"Ya watchin now?"

"Our son, Jon.. He watches.. Occasionally I sit down and watch with him." Marilyn admitted as she managed a small smile at Dean and then said quietly, "You can stay.. But do not think this means we're on our way back to each other.. Like I said before.."

Dean waved her off with his hands and then said quietly once she w as out of earshot, "Okay, so here's the thing, Jonny.. Do you want both of us livin here with you, together?"

His son nodded quietly then said "Mama still loves you.. Cries at night.. She always has.. But you hurt her, she said.."

"I did.. Because I'm kinda an idiot.. But we kinda hurt each other, kid.. It's too damn hard to tell ya all now.. Maybe when you're older.." Dean said as he looked at his son who nodded and then said with a smirk, "It was awesome, though, that move you did."

"And dangerous.. If ya don't know what you're doing, Jonny, you could crack ya head open. Don't try it, got it?"

Marilyn watched father and son from the door to the d en and smiled to herself a little.. What would the next two to three weeks hold in store for them? And had she just made a huge mistake letting him stay here wtih them?


End file.
